It's all about THE RIDE...

When asked, “Don’t you ever get tired of jet skiing so much??” I always answer, without hesitation, “Not at all!  I can’t get enough of it!”  My love affair with the sea began when I was very small.  Before I was even walking, I was at the beach, via annual family vacation to the Jersey Shore.  I became enamored with the ocean from that point onward.  There was something indescribably appealing about the water.  Little did I know back then that the water would become more than a nice place to spend a week each summer…it was to become a lifestyle.

I bought my first watercraft, a yellow 1998 Kawasaki 1100 ZXI, used, in 2001.  I had never owned one before…I had only ever rented a Yamaha Waverunner once at the Jersey Shore when I was 16.  I remembered how fun it was, but back then I was in no position personally or financially to own one.  But for the first time in my life, I was, and I took the plunge and bought the Kawasaki, which I affectionately named Barracuda.

I knew less than nothing about it, or boating in general, as my family had never owned a boat.  But I was intrigued and eager to learn.  I had moved to Miami in 2000, and after getting my SCUBA open water certification, I set my sights on getting a jet ski.  Going to the beach was nice…but I wanted to get out there.  The one thing I knew for sure though…I didn’t want to be That Person, out there on their ski, having no clue where the channels were, or where the no wake zones were.  I had heard the grumblings from fishermen and other boaters about the “idiots on jet skis”.  I decided right then and there, I would not be one of those.

From the very first day at the public boat ramp on Watson Island, in Biscayne Bay between downtown Miami and Miami Beach, I took advantage of the plentiful resources around me to get things off to the right start…other boaters.  Even though I didn’t know any of them, I politely approached a small group of people launching their waterski boat and explained that today was my very first day on the water, and if they would mind if I tagged along for a while to get to know “the lay of the sea”.  They were not only more than happy to teach me what they could, but they even offered to let me try water skiing!  It was a great day, and it was the beginning of a long and extraordinarily satisfying way of life that I have built my life around.

Fast forward to late 2012.  I now live on the waterfront, and I have been on the water nearly every weekend year round for the past 12 years…and I have never regretted a single ride.  I am on my third ski now, a 2008 Seadoo RXP-X, and we have just surpassed 500 hours on the gauge.  My world has been expanded to places I could have never dreamed of, being land-based.  I have seen and learned much during thousands of hours on the water…and there is much more to see and learn.  The Wake Zone is a place to learn not so much about nuts and bolts (though inevitably there will be some of that!), but about a lifestyle on the water.  It’s about touring and exploring, education and etiquette with fellow boaters, maintenance and tips on keeping your ride floating and not landlocked, innovation and cool new stuff out there for riders, and a place to share experiences.  All are welcome, from novice to expert.  But most importantly, it is all about The Ride!